According to Eurostat data for last year, the average Pole can expect to spend nearly 36 years in the labour market. Men will work for almost four years longer than women.
Eurostat data for 2025 show that the average working life in Poland is expected to last 35.9 years. Men are projected to work an average of 37.9 years, while women are projected to remain economically active for 33.9 years, according to the INFOR website, citing Eurostat figures.
In seven European Union countries, the average expected duration of working life is 40 years or more. These are the Netherlands at 44.0 years, Sweden at 43.4 years, Denmark at 42.6 years, Estonia at 41.5 years, Ireland at 40.7 years, Germany at 40.2 years, and Finland at 40.1 years.
By comparison, the three EU countries with the shortest expected working lives are Romania at 32.7 years, Italy at 33.0 years, and Bulgaria at 34.6 years.
How long, then, does a Polish pensioner receive retirement benefits after leaving the workforce? According to Gofin.pl, the average pensioner in Poland lives for approximately another 22.2 to 22.4 years. Women who retire at the statutory retirement age of 60 are expected to live for a further 266.4 months on average, equivalent to around 22.2 years. Men who retire at the age of 65 are expected to live for another 220.8 months, or approximately 18.4 years.